Refrigerating apparatus



Mu -u- April 18, 1961 J. T. DE WITTE ETAL REFRIGERATING APPARATUS FiledJune 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. John 7: Dew/fie. Clifford H.Wu r/z.

Their Attorney.

April 1961 J. T. DE WITTE ETAL 2,979,922

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed June 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C fi g 0 0U U U, a. 0 n E .9 0 0 0 o k. Lk 0 0 u n 0 0 0 0 0 0 no 1 30 MD 3 a" wl] 0 k \U J 0 0 N3 0 0 0 0 [1 0 0 L 0 0 m v 3 N m.) U N g N t 0 w\ 0 0 o0 0 0 o J) 0 2 Q Q J k g I 5 INVENTORS. 3 w 9 Jo/m r Dew/fie.

D Clifford /-l. Wurfz.

- Their Ar orney- April 1961 J. T. DE WITTE ET AL 2,979,922

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Filed June 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ZZG 224 v 3 some mace ace 9 coco228 222 com o coo c mczco coco ( coma ccaoca ccu: Cuzco 24() oooc: cocococo cacao coco ocaoo J L L 220/ 248 250 v co so 0006 cacao (30cc) cococ3000 @000 c: Q O G 3 0 o o cc: 0Q coco t/ J INVENTORS. 234 L236 L232John IDW/WE- Clifford H. Wurfz.

Their Afiorney,

I 2,919,922 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS John T. De Witte and Clifford H.Wurtz, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 30, 1958, Ser. No. 745,597

6 Claims. (Cl. 62-447) This invention pertains to refrigeratingapparatus and more particularly to multiple compartment refrigeratorshaving a freezing compartment and an above-freezing compartmentinsulated from each other.

The advantages of refrigerators with separate refrige.ated surfaces inseparate thermally insulated compartments for household use have beenlong known, but such refrigerators have only been available at highprices.

It is an object of this invention to provide a two-compartmentrefrigerator which will be competitive with low-cost refrigerators.

It is another object of this invention to provide an economical platetype evaporator arrangement which will provide suitable freezingsurfaces in the freezing compartment and suitable cooling surfaces inthe abovefreezing compartment.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a single rollbonded plate type evaporator construction which may be cut and bent toprovide a plurality of separate plate evaporators.

These and other objects are attained in the forms shown in the drawingsin which a roll bonded plate type evaporator is provided with extensiveplate type refrigerated surfaces in three different separated sectionsthereof connected by suitable refrigerant passages which are cut andbent to form horizontal plate sections for the upper and lower portionsof the freezing compartment and a vertical plate section for theabove-freezing compartment with the connecting refrigerant passageslocated in integral connecting webbing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown. I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic,

of a two-compartment refrigerator embodying .one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the arrangement ofthe combined inlet and outlet passage arrangement of the evaporatingmeans;

I States Patenffi- Figure 3 is a plan view of evaporating means shown inFigure 1 in the flat condition before thebending thereof;

Figure 4 is a plan view of'a slightly modified form of evaporating meansin the flat condition; a

Figure 5 is another form of evaporatin-glmeans in the flat condition;and

Figure 6 is a' perspective view of. a'nothertwo-comv partmentrefrigerator with the freezing compartment beneath the above-freezingcompartment incorporatingthe evaporating means shown in FigureS.

Referring now more particularlyto Figure 1, there is showdiagrammatically a refrigeratorcabinet 20, illustrated'indot-dash linesincluding abelow-freezing compartmentr22 aboveand an abovefree 'zingcompartment 24 below. Beneath the above fr'eezirig compartment 2,979,922Patented Apr. 18

plate section 36 is located a sufficient distance beneath the top 38 ofthe cabinet to provide a shelf and space thereabove for receiving icetrays such as the tray 40. These two horizontal plate sections 34 and 36are connected by an integral web 42 containing refrigerant passages andare further connected by a second integral 'Web 44 containingrefrigerant passages connecting with a vertical plate 46 located spacedbut parallel and adjacent the rear wall of the above-freezingcompartment 24. The capillary tube 48 connected to the outlet of thecondenser 30 extends within the suction line 50 to the combined entranceand exit 52 to the plate section 46; Thiscombined entrance and exit isshown in enlarged form in Figure 2 and shows the capillary tube 48extending to a restricted passage portion 54 in the plate 45, While thesuction line 50 fits into and connects with a much larger passage 56having a side entrance 58.

Referring now both to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that therestricted portion 54 connects directly with a passage 60 extendingthrough the webs 44 and 42 to the entrance 62 at the lower left-handcorner of the plate section 34. The plate section, 34 is provided with aWaffle pattern of refrigerant passages substantially throughout itsentire area and has an entrance 6?. on one side and connecting with thepassage 69 and exit 64 on the opposite side connecting with a passage 66extending through the web 42 to the upper plate section 36. The upperplate section 36 may be provided with either serpentine passages 68, asshown, or with a waffle-type of passage, shown in Figure 4. Therefrigerant normally collects by gravity first in the refrigerated platesection 34 and the surplus of refrigerant will flow from the passages 68through the passages 70 in the web 44 to the passage 72 extendingthrough the plate section 46 to the left side thereof to the entrance atthe bottom of. a waffie-type refrigerant passage section 74.

At the diagonally opposite corner of the waffie-type refrigerant'passagesection 74 there connects the refrigerant passage 58 connectingwith the side of the passage 56 and the suction line 50 as shown inFigure 2 for return to the sealed motor-compressor unit 28. I

' The sealed motor-compressor unit is controlled by a thermostaticswitch 76 set for a' defrosting cycle having its thermosensitive elementor bulb 78 in contact with the lower right-hand portion of the platesection 46.

This control arrangement'causes the plate sections 34 and 36 to be keptfilled with liquid refrigerant while the 'plate section receivessufficient surplus to maintain proper above-freezing refrigeratingtemperatures in the compartment 24. 1 Y

The entire evaporator is made in the flat form'shown in Figure 3 by somesuitable form'of brazing or bonding process providing passagesoftheconfiguration shown in Figures 3 or 4. Preferably, the entirestructure is made' by the roll bonding process'illustrated'in the Long.tube 48, as shown in Figure 2. .226 connects to a refrigerant passage228 formed in the plate extending through the web portion 239 connecting44, as indicated by the reference character 84. The plate sections 36and 34 are then folded forwardly into the shape shown in Figure l; Theconnections of the capillary tube 48 and the suction line 543 are thenmade at the entrance 52 and the refrigerating system is assembled intothe cabinet Ztl, as shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 4, there is a somewhat similar arrangement in which a rollbonded plate 121 is provided with refrigerant passage portions of thewaffle type 123, 125 and 127 in the top, middle and bottom portionsthereof. A connecting entrance passage 122 connecting with therestricted portion 131 is provided adjacent the upper right-hand cornerof the waffle-type portion 129 in a manner somewhat similar to that ofFigures 2 and 3. The restricted portion 131 connects to a passage 133extending around the portion 1.25 to the lower left handvcorner thereof.The lower right-hand corner of the corner section 125 connects to arefrigerant passage .135 extending beneath and up the left-hand edge ofthe plate 121 to the lower left-hand corner of the wafiletyperefrigerant passage section 123. The upper righthand corner of thewaffle-type section 123 is connected by the passage 137 to the lowerleft-hand corner of the wafiie-type refrigerant passage section 127. Theupper right-hand corner of the waffle-type section 127 connects to theside of the combined entrance and exit 129 in a manner similar to thatof Figure 3.

in this form, only a single U-shaped cut 139 is provided around thesection 125 and specifically between the section 225 and the passage133. The sections 123 and 125 are bent at right angles to the plane ofthe plate 121 to form refrigerated surfaces for the top and bottom ofthe upper below-freezing compartment 22, while the lower section 127extends into the abovefreez-ing compartment 24. The upper sections,either 36 .or 123, may either be spaced below the top of the freezingcompartment to provide a shelf for the ice trays as, or they may formthe inner surface of the top of the freezing compartment 22.

in Figure 5, there is shown another form of plate 229 somewhat similarto the plate 121. This plate, however, differs from the plates ofFigures 3 or 4 in that the plate section for cooling the above-freezingcompartment has only one web connection with the other plates. Thisplate 228 also difers fromthe plates of Figures 3 and 4 in that it isintended for a refrigerator with the freezing compartment at the bottom,as shown in Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to Figure 5, the plate section 22% is shown asprovided with a large rectangular refrigerant passage section 222 of thewafile-type construction having a combined entrance and exit passageway22% in its upper left-hand corner leading to the restricted portion 226provided for receiving the capillary This restricted portion with theupper right-hand portion of a dual waffle-type of refrigerant passagesection'designated by the reference characters 232 and 234. The purposeof dividing the two sections in this manner is to provide betterdistribution of refrigerant as well as to provide a faster freezingsection in setcion 232. The connecting passage 236 between the two isdiagonally opposite the entrance to the section 232 andthe exit to thesection 234 which connects to the refrigerant passage 2238 extendingthrough the web 240. v v

This passage 238 extends about the divided refrigerant passage sections242; and 244 of the wafie type plate and connects to the upperright-hand corner of the portion or section 242. The connectingrefrigertant passage 246 between the sections 242 and 244 is located atthe bottom between the sections diagonally opposite the entrance to thesection 242 and the exit to the section 244.

This provides good distribution and a slightly greater refrigeratingeffect in the section 242. The exit of the section 244 connects with arefrigerant passage 248 extending through the web 24% across the top orabove the sections 232 and 234 through the web 239 to the lowerright-hand corner of the refrigerant passage section 222 of thewaffle-plate type. The upper left-hand corner of the section or portion222 connects to the combined inlet and discharge portion 224 in a mannersimilar to that shown in Figure 2. A continuous cut 250 is providedextending from between the section 244 and the passage 248 as well asbetween the section or portion 242 and the passage 248 and having a wideextension 252 extending from the upper right-hand corner of the section242 to the left edge of the plate 220.

The combined sections 242 and 244 are bent perpendicular to the section222 and the combined sections 232 and 234 are also bent perpendicularlyinto the arrangement shown in Figure 6 with the portions 232 and 234forming the bottom of the below-freezing compartment 254 in the cabinet256. The combined sections 242 and 244- are spaced from the insulatingpartition 258 so as to provide a shelf on which ice trays 26% may rest.The partition 258 divides the below-freezing compartmentr254 .rom theabove-freezing compartment 262. The web 240 provides a connectionbetween the two plate sections in the freezing compartment 254 while theweb 230 provides the connection between the combined plate sections 242and 244, in the upper portion of the freezing compartment with the platesection 222 located adjacent the back wall of the above-freezingcompartment 262. The evaporator structure in Figure 6 connects to theremainder of the refrigerating system in the same manner as shown inFigure 1.

Thus, this single plate with passages and cuts properly located can beformed to provide sufficient refrigerating surfaces for both theabove-freezing and below-freezing compartments without having any moresurfaces than are necessary and economical. The system is simple, with asingle thermostatic control providing adequate regulation for allenvironmental conditions found in homes throughout the nation.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitut s a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

- What is claimed is as follows: i

1. A household refrigerator having insulating walls onclosing twoseparate compartments to be cooled with an insulating wall separatingthe compartments, a single one piece plate type evaporator for coolingboth compartments, said evaporator having a first generally plane andgenerally rectangular plate section constituting the cen- "tral portionand a second generally plane and generally rectangular plate sectionspaced from and parallel to said first section constituting one endportion and a third generally plane and generally rectangular platesection constituting the opposite end portion arranged perpendicularlyto the first and second section's, said first and second -to andwithdrawing evaporated refrigerant from said third section of saidevaporator.

2. 'A household refrigerator having insulating walls r'eiiclosing a:below-freezing compartment and an" abovefreezing compartment located oneabove the other with an insulating wall separating the compartments,a'single one-piece plate type evaporator for cooling both compartments,said evaporator having a first, generally plane and generallyrectangular plate section extending over the major portion of onehorizontal wall of the belowfreezing compartment constituting itscentral portion and a second generally plane and generally rectangularplate section extending parallel and adjacent the major portion of theopposite horizontal wall of the below-freezing compartment constitutingone of its end portions and a third generally plane andgenerallyrectangular plate section within said above-freezingcompartment constituting its opposite end portion, said evaporatorhaving narrow integral plate connections extending between said sectionsand refrigerant passages extending through said sections andconnections, said third section having a combined entrance andexitextending inwardly from one edge and having one branch connectingwith a refrigerant passage in said third section and a second branchhaving a stricted portion in said third section connecting with one ofsaid refrigerant passages extending through one of said narrowconnections tosaid first section and through another of said narrowconnections to said second section and returning through saidconnections to said refrigerant passage in said third section, and meansfor supplying liquid refrigerant to and withdrawing evaporatedrefrigerant from said evaporator including an outer suction tubeconnecting with said combined entrance and exit and an inner liquid tubeextending through said outerv tube and said combined entrance and exitto said re stricted portion.

3. A household refrigerator having insulating walls enclosing an upperbelow-freezing compartment and a lower above-freezing compartment withan insulating wall separating the compartments, a single one-piece platetype evaporator extending into both compartments for cooling them, saidevaporator having a first generally plane and generally rectangularplate section extending over the major portion of the bottom of thebelow-freezing com partment constituting the portion intermediate itsend portions and a second generally plane and generally rectangularplate section extending over and being spaced above and substantiallyparallel to the major portion of the first section and being spacedbelow the top of the below-freezing compartment to provide an ice traysupporting shelf constituting its upper one end portion and a thirdgenerally plane and generally rectangular plate section in saidabove-freezing compartment constituting its opposite end portion, saidevaporator having narrow first integral narrow connecting portionextending upward- 1y adjacent the rear wall and a second generally planeand generally rectangular plate section also located in said onecompartment integrally connected at the rear to the upper end of saidfirst narrow portion and a third generally plane and generallyrectangular plate section located in the second compartment providedwith a second integral nar row connecting portion extending downwardlyadjacent the rear wall and being integrally connected to said secondplate section, said evaporator having refrigerant passages extendingcontinuously through said sections and said narrow connecting portions,and means for supply ing liquid refrigerant to and for withdrawingevaporated refrigerant from said passages.

5. A household refrigerator having insulating walls enclosing twoseparate compartments to be cooled with an insulating wall separatingthe compartments, a single onepiece plate type evaporator for coolingboth compart' ments, said evaporator having a horizontal first generallyplane and generally rectangular plate section provided with a lateralrearward offset portion and an integral first narrow connecting portionextending from the front edge of said offset portion'and a horizontalsecond generally plane and generally rectangular plate section having atits rear edge an integral connection with said first narrow portion andhaving an integral second narrow connecting portion extending from itsrear edge and a vertical third generally plane and generally rectangularplate section having an integral connectionat one edge with said secondnarrow portion, two of said sections being located in one of saidcompartments and the other section being located in the othercompartment, said evaporator having refrigerant passages extendingcontinuously through said sections and said .narrow connecting portions,and means for supplying liquid refrigerant to and for withdrawingevaporated refrigerant from said passages.

6. A household refrigerator having insulating walls including a rearwall enclosing two separate compartments to be cooled with an insulatingwall separating the compartments, a single one-piece plate typeevaporatorformed out of a single rectangular plate structure for coolingboth compartments, one end section of said evaporator being bent awayfrom the rear wall at right angles from integral plate connectionsextending between said sections and continuous refrigerant passagesextending serially first to said first section and then to said secondsection and finally to said third section, and means for supply liquidinsulating wall separating the compartments and a rear.

wall, a single one-piece plate type'evaporator for cooling bothcompartments, said evaporator having a first general ly plane andgenerally rectangular plate section located in one of said compartmentsprovided at the rear with .a

the remainder thereof, the center section of said evapovrator being cutout except for narrow integral connecting strip means from the remainderthereof and bent away from the rear wall into parallel relationship withsaid one end section, said one end and center sections being located inone of said compartments, the opposite end section of said evaporatorbeing located in the second com partment, said evaporator .havingrefrigerant passages extending continuously through said sections-andnarrow strip means, and means for supplying liquid refrigerant to andfor withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from said evaporator. I 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,748,573 Staebler et a1. .Tune 5, 6 2,795,113 Wurtz June- 11, 19572,795,117 Herndon et a1. -..'June 11, 1957 2,848,200 Jacobs Aug. 19,1958

